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Mark, i am in book 3:) i love the pieces in here. they are so much more fun than 1 and 2, and they sound like music. i really like the ambitious secton which includes some truly incredible music. i love this book!!!

I've been doing the series and am in book 3. I recently started working from each end, and I agree with funburger the ambitious section is especially good ... in fact because the harder section is so interesting, I'm thinking about dropping the book in favour doing only this kind of music.

I'm in book 3 as well. The first thing I noticed was that the theory pages are much more complex - I guess they figure if you're still with them this far along, you must be in it for the long haul and they throw it all at you...

I have to admit that the fact I had to special-order the book and that no store routinely stocked it was a bit flattering to the ego - they all had book one, some had book two, but none had enough call to stock book three.

I like the ambitious section as well - there's a wide range of levels in the pieces. Some seem to come easy, others...

Also, the book set-up feels different to me than the first two, less rigid maybe. Because you're on your own after this one and I get the feeling I'm being 'weaned'. My teacher has already asked what kind and style of music books (plural, she said books!) can she pick up for me next time she's at the music store - which is very encouraging. I must have made at least some progress! I don't just finish another book with the reward being to go buy the next level up, yay! Liz

Originally posted by funburger: Mark, i am in book 3:) i love the pieces in here. they are so much more fun than 1 and 2, and they sound like music. i really like the ambitious secton which includes some truly incredible music. i love this book!!! [/b]

Thats great to hear. And its nice to know people are moving into book 3. Everyone who's in book 3 should be proud of their accomplishment. I know its a lot of work...

Keep us posted on your progress. And if anyone want to post their recording its a great resource for others...

Originally posted by Lizzy1234: I'm in book 3 as well. The first thing I noticed was that the theory pages are much more complex - I guess they figure if you're still with them this far along, you must be in it for the long haul and they throw it all at you...

I have to admit that the fact I had to special-order the book and that no store routinely stocked it was a bit flattering to the ego - they all had book one, some had book two, but none had enough call to stock book three.

I like the ambitious section as well - there's a wide range of levels in the pieces. Some seem to come easy, others...

Also, the book set-up feels different to me than the first two, less rigid maybe. Because you're on your own after this one and I get the feeling I'm being 'weaned'. My teacher has already asked what kind and style of music books (plural, she said books!) can she pick up for me next time she's at the music store - which is very encouraging. I must have made at least some progress! I don't just finish another book with the reward being to go buy the next level up, yay! Liz [/b]

You should feel proud. I know I feel pretty good finishing book one. And finishing each book means your that much better...

HI everyone...I'm somewhat new to the forum and have basically been lurking for a while.

I'm about halfway through Alfred 2 and would like to go ahead and order Alfred 3 so I have it when I'm ready. I'm having trouble locating the book to purchase via the web. Can someone provide me with a web source?

In addition to Alfred 2 I still play Entertainer and Amazing Grace from Alfred 1 and am also working on Satisfied Mind, Mona Lisa, Fur Elise, etc. etc.

Thanks.

_________________________
Without music life would be a mistake~Friedrich Nietzsche

Originally posted by EG2: HI everyone...I'm somewhat new to the forum and have basically been lurking for a while.

I'm about halfway through Alfred 2 and would like to go ahead and order Alfred 3 so I have it when I'm ready. I'm having trouble locating the book to purchase via the web. Can someone provide me with a web source?

In addition to Alfred 2 I still play Entertainer and Amazing Grace from Alfred 1 and am also working on Satisfied Mind, Mona Lisa, Fur Elise, etc. etc.

Well, it looks like I may be heading into Book 3 on my own for a bit. The place where my teacher rents her studio space is closing at the end of July. She asked at the school where she teaches, and they said sure, she could use the school, but only for those who live in that town. So that would take care of 2 of her 20 students and I am not one of them. She is still looking for a place, of course, and we do have a few weeks left, but I may be going it solo for a bit. Glad I did decided to go ahead and order Book 3- I need some sort of organized approach or I won't get anywhere. If this does happen, I may be asking those of you already in Book 3 for LOTS of help!

_________________________
-Mak

1889 Mason & Hamlin screwstringer uprightKawai MP-4 digital

---------------------------When life hands you lemons, throw them back and add some of your own. Stupid life.

Originally posted by IrishMak: Well, it looks like I may be heading into Book 3 on my own for a bit. The place where my teacher rents her studio space is closing at the end of July. She asked at the school where she teaches, and they said sure, she could use the school, but only for those who live in that town. So that would take care of 2 of her 20 students and I am not one of them. She is still looking for a place, of course, and we do have a few weeks left, but I may be going it solo for a bit. Glad I did decided to go ahead and order Book 3- I need some sort of organized approach or I won't get anywhere. If this does happen, I may be asking those of you already in Book 3 for LOTS of help! [/b]

We have a few teachers from the teachers forum who are here to help and they keep an eye on these Alfred threads. So we have you covered just in case...

#1079228 - 06/28/0702:11 AMRe: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #3

dfpolitowski
Full Member
Registered: 02/09/06
Posts: 166
Loc: New Jersey

I am 44 years old and have Just started playing music five years ago.

I am currently finishing this book. Its an ok book,It lends itself to those who, like me, are partially self taught. I feel this book progresses well, slow, with small steps in difficulty, Has plenty of songs, to reach this the final level of course difficulty. The pieces are enjoyable, and short enough. However, I personal attribute most of my skill to playing though Hanon in 60 ex. It was grueling. I guess the importance point I should make is that if you are like me, You will need a good technical regiment, and if you desire to play other styles of music ie, blues, hymns, lead sheet pop, jazz, whatever, you will need to train in that genre in addition to the Alfred Adult Course. The Alfred adult course mainly teaches you traditional piano playing via site reading.

#1079230 - 07/14/0712:43 PMRe: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #3

dfpolitowski
Full Member
Registered: 02/09/06
Posts: 166
Loc: New Jersey

Its taken me only a few days to get Chopin prelude down well. I've allowed myself one weeks practice on this small piece. This comeing monday I will begin the last piece in the book. I started playing it briefly and find it fairly easy. Patterns motifs are not that difficult. I guess,this piece may take me five days to get through. At the start of my learning piano for the life of me I could not play the pieces in this book 3. I guess I can conclude this series had payed off. I would recommend this series.

I write these things in order that you may witness to the progress this series has developed in me. Which should reflex the quality of this publication set. Though to be fair the "Alfred Adult series" was not the only publication from which I studied from. I used Hanon together with little known "Henry Slaughter Gospel piano"

I have made it through. It has been about four years or more in the making. And I refused to quit or change books.

I would like to see a fouth level to this series. But I know its not going to happen.

For my next step in learning to play the piano I have chosen to proceed through "Classic to Moderns: early advanced" The green book. I hope to finish this book also. The pieces within are short not longer than four pages, something I prefer. There are just over fifty pieces within. I hope this book takes me up to a higher level in my playing. With all my ability to site read well and learn these piece in a rather short time; I still can't sit down an play the piano like a real musican.

Originally posted by dfpolitowski:For my next step in learning to play the piano I have chosen to proceed through "Classic to Moderns: early advanced" The green book. I hope to finish this book also. The pieces within are short not longer than four pages, something I prefer. There are just over fifty pieces within. I hope this book takes me up to a higher level in my playing. With all my ability to site read well and learn these piece in a rather short time; I still can't sit down an play the piano like a real musican. [/b]

Thanks for the info David. I was wondering where people would go once they completed book 3.

As for playing like a real musician, I think you are under estimating your abilities. To be able to sight read and play book 3 makes you a real musician in my book. Sticking with and completing this series is a major accomplishment and I congratulate you.

With all my ability to site read well and learn these piece in a rather short time; I still can't sit down an play the piano like a real musican.

Could you expand on that a bit? What is it about your playing that isn't where you would like? What constitutes "real musician" for you?

I ask because I find a lot of my adult students have a belief down somewhere that they have to reach a certain level of proficiency before they can "trust themselves" to add personal interpretation to the music, or change/modify things they'd prefer differently, such as tempo, dynamic changes, or the like.

For me, the real freedom of playing isn't level-based; I regularly practice the very first songs I teach my students, very simple melodies -- to play them as soulfully and beautifully and inspiringly as I can. You can do the same! You could go back to your Alfred Level One book and find your favorite pieces. They're easy now! So decide if you like them slower or faster. Maybe you want to put an arpeggio in the left hand where there's just a block chord. Maybe you like different articulation or dynamics. Maybe you want to repeat a certain section, or repeat the whole thing in a different octave.

That freedom, for me, is what feels like being a musician. I actually enjoy playing less complex pieces because of the amount of interpretation I can put into them in real time, and sometimes I play them differently from day to day.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts. You're already a real musician, by the way, just like Mark said. You were from the moment you put your hands on the keyboard!

Best,

Kim

_________________________
Find some help for stage fright and share what helps you -- Stage Fright Tips. Let's learn from each other!

#1079236 - 07/14/0710:42 PMRe: Alfred's Basic and ALL in One Adult Piano Course Book #3

dfpolitowski
Full Member
Registered: 02/09/06
Posts: 166
Loc: New Jersey

Kim,

Well, I suppose, I mean Playing Music without sheet music. If someone were to ask me to sit down and play something at the piano I could not. I would need to go home, pick a piece to play, practice it for a week, then come back to them and play in front of them.

Or would be satisfied to be like one of my many college professors who can take a piece (I lie not) and play it perfect first time seeing it. Or even like my voice teacher who in choosing a song to sing accompanies well enough to sing along with. And this upon turning to the song in choosing. She may not be without flaw but 95percent of the song is there the first time.

I'm anticipating entering into this level someday. Oh, I know those mentioned above have been playing since there child hood while I recently began at in my mid adult years.

Thanks for taking the time to post that. I think it's a really helpful discussion as folks get to this intermediate level of playing.

First: learning to play without sheet music is one of two things: memorized music or improvisation (which is nearly always based on chords). Both of which you already have the skills to begin doing; it's just that the Alfred's books aren't really going to teach you to do them!

You could begin by choosing 2 songs you really like, and learning them chunk by chunk. Don't just try to memorize notes, look at the patterns and shapes your hands are making, and notice the feeling of the keys and chords beneath your hands. Notice patterns in the songs (certain bars repeating at beginning and end, the same pattern in the left hand but on different chord notes, etc.)

Improvisation is just like talking. You have this vocabulary that you draw on to express yourself. You could start with the three major chords in C major: C, G, and F. You know those already, you know what notes are in them and how to play them in both hands. Sit at the piano, with those three chords, and start playing -- anything, even triads in both hands. Start exploring sounds.

I find many adults don't give themselves permission to do this kind of exploration at the piano, believing you have to have all the theory knowledge in place before you're qualified to improvise. But trying things out, and exploring, is how we learn to do everything else! Think of a child learning to speak.

Having a goal to play anything at sight is a really lofty goal. Not being satisfied with your playing until you reach it, however, is pretty self-defeating! At least inside my head!

It's the "if-then" thinking that bothers me, I think. If I reach this point, then I'll be satisfied. But there's no guarantee you'll get there! What if being an amazing sight reader isn't your strength at the piano? What if (God forbid) you get hit by a bus next week?

That's not to say that having goals is a bad thing. But not fully enjoying your current achievements? You're missing out on so much enjoyment! I talk to adults every day who wish they could play... well, anything[/b]. Mary Had a Little Lamb. Chopsticks. They'd love to understand written music and be in Alfred's Level 3. It seems worlds away, and unreachable to them.

The fact is, if you're playing music, you're a musician.

Those are my feelings on it, at any rate. This strikes a chord with me because I spent most of my college years with many of the feelings you describe, comparing myself to other players in all kinds of ways, and as a result a kept myself from not only enjoying what I could do - but also preventing myself from learning and experiencing everything I could have!

I don't want to see you or any other adult miss out on anything, either learning or enjoyment, by thinking only about the future. Beginners are musicians too!

Best,

Kim

_________________________
Find some help for stage fright and share what helps you -- Stage Fright Tips. Let's learn from each other!

Well, we cracked open Book #3 last week. I will start by saying this time, I bought the All-in-One book, just so anyone who does not have this is not scratching their heads and saying: "Where did she find THAT in this book?" LOL

I have to say, their "Super Special Song" is a bit less than super-special, at least for me. But I'm getting thru it. I pretty much have the pedal study, Calypso Rhumba, figured out. The Fandango is tripping me up- can't quite get it fast enough. More like a medium andante than allegro. And that's one of my biggest problems- I can't play stuff fast. I get to a certain speed and can't seem to increase, no matter what I do!

And- homework!!! Yikes, I haven't had homework since- well, a loooooong time ago! But since this book has the theory pages in it, too, my teacher says- Do 'em! And she's gonna check! Hope I get a gold star!!! LOL

That's my progress report so far...

_________________________
-Mak

1889 Mason & Hamlin screwstringer uprightKawai MP-4 digital

---------------------------When life hands you lemons, throw them back and add some of your own. Stupid life.